Peter Pan and the Airship Darlings

Smee stepped out of Hook’s cabin, closing the heavy wooden door behind him with a soft thud. The air on the deck of the Jolly Roger felt cooler, but no less tense. The crew had grown restless in recent days, and as much as Smee remained loyal to Captain Hook, he knew the men weren’t as forgiving. They hadn’t signed up to chase a boy through Neverland. They wanted treasure, adventure, and the plundering life that pirates were promised.

As Smee walked across the deck, he could hear the murmurs of the pirates, their voices low and full of frustration. Bill Jukes leaned against the mast, his eyes tracking Smee’s every move. Behind him, a few of the other pirates, Cecco, Skylights, and Noodler, were engaged in what seemed like an increasingly heated conversation.

“Should’ve been at sea by now,” Jukes muttered under his breath, loud enough for Smee to hear as he passed. “Chasin’ after a boy—what kind of pirate business is that?”

Smee sighed. He’d heard it all before. The crew was losing patience with Hook’s fixation on Peter Pan, and they weren’t subtle about it. They hadn’t seen real action in weeks—no towns to pillage, no treasure to steal. Hook’s relentless pursuit of Peter had consumed all their energy, and the crew was starting to wonder if their captain even remembered what it meant to be a pirate.

Cecco was the first to speak up as Smee approached. “So, what’s the word from our fearless captain, eh? Another brilliant plan to go chasin’ after that kid?”

Smee forced a smile, though his heart wasn’t in it. “The cap’n has his sights set on Pan, aye, but that’s for the good of all of us. You all know what Pan’s done to us over the years.”

Skylights scoffed, his thick arms crossed over his chest. “What Pan’s done to us? More like what we’ve let him do. If Hook spent half as much time gettin’ us back to piratin’ as he does plottin’ revenge, we’d be swimmin’ in gold by now.”

There was a murmur of agreement from the other pirates, their discontent simmering just beneath the surface. Noodler scratched at his stubbled chin, his one good eye fixed on Smee. “We didn’t sign up to chase a shadow, Mr. Smee. We signed up for treasure, for glory. And what’ve we got? Weeks of sittin’ around, waitin’ for Hook to come up with another scheme.”

Smee rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the weight of the crew’s frustration pressing down on him. He had always been loyal to Hook—the captain had saved his life once, after all—but even he couldn’t deny that things had changed. The crew was bored, and bored pirates were dangerous pirates.

“The cap’n’s got a plan, lads,” Smee said, trying to inject some confidence into his voice. “And when we catch Pan, we’ll be rid of him once and for all. Then we can get back to business—proper pirate business.”

Cecco spat on the deck, his eyes hard. “That’s what you said last time, Smee. And the time before that. We’ve been waitin’ for that proper pirate business for weeks, and all we’ve got is empty promises and steam engines to maintain.”

Jukes nodded, pushing away from the mast to join the others. “We ain’t afraid of Pan, Smee. But we’re startin’ to wonder if Hook’s lost the plot. All this chasin’ and schemin’—it’s makin’ him mad. And if the cap’n’s goin’ mad, what does that mean for the rest of us?”

Smee’s stomach twisted. He had known for a while that the crew was growing impatient, but hearing them speak so openly about Hook’s state of mind sent a shiver down his spine. There had always been an unspoken understanding that Hook’s obsession with Peter Pan was dangerous, but to openly question his leadership was another matter entirely.

“Look, lads,” Smee said, his voice dropping to a more conspiratorial tone. “I know the crew’s restless, but the cap’n’s got his reasons. And once this business with Pan is settled, we’ll be back to plunderin’ and pillagin’ faster than you can say ‘Jolly Roger.’ Just give him a little more time.”

There was a pause, and Smee could see the doubt still lingering in the pirates’ eyes. Time was something they were running short on. The crew wanted action, not promises. Smee’s loyalty to Hook was unwavering, but he knew it was wearing thin among the rest of the men.

Bill Jukes leaned in closer, his voice low but firm. “Time’s runnin’ out, Smee. If Hook doesn’t give us somethin’ to fight for soon, the crew’s gonna take matters into their own hands.”

Smee felt a chill at the threat in Jukes’ words. He knew what the pirates were capable of when they felt betrayed. Loyalty only went so far, and if Hook pushed them too hard, the crew would turn. Mutiny wasn’t out of the question.

“I’ll talk to the cap’n,” Smee said quietly, knowing it was the only thing he could promise them. “But for now, you lot keep your heads down and focus on your duties. The Jolly Roger ain’t runnin’ on magic—it’s runnin’ on steam, and we need every one of you to keep her afloat.”

The pirates grumbled, but they eventually backed down, returning to their tasks with little enthusiasm. Smee watched them go, a knot of worry tightening in his chest. He knew that if Hook didn’t deliver soon, there would be more than just whispers of rebellion on the ship. The crew’s patience was wearing thin, and Smee wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold them together.

As he turned to head back to the engines, Smee couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible was looming on the horizon. The steam engines of the Jolly Roger thrummed beneath his feet, steady and strong, but the balance of power on the ship felt more fragile than ever.

Hook’s Plan

Smee stood outside Hook’s cabin, the door looming in front of him like a final barrier. He had spent the past hour trying to calm the crew, but their unrest was growing by the minute. Bill Jukes’s words echoed in his mind—mutiny was becoming a very real possibility. If Hook didn’t deliver soon, the men would take matters into their own hands, and the Jolly Roger could tear itself apart from the inside.

He knocked once, then twice, before hearing Hook’s gruff voice from the other side. “Enter.”

Smee stepped inside, closing the door behind him. The room was dimly lit, as usual, but there was an air of excitement that Smee hadn’t felt in weeks. Hook sat at his desk, poring over a pile of papers and schematics, his eyes gleaming with a rare intensity. The sound of the steam-powered devices on his desk filled the air with a rhythmic ticking, like the countdown of some terrible clock.

Hook didn’t look up as Smee entered. “You’ve spoken with the men, I take it?”

Smee nodded, though Hook couldn’t see him. “Aye, cap’n. They’re restless. They want action.”

Hook’s fingers tightened around the edge of the map he had been studying. “They’ll get their action, Smee. Sooner than they think.”

There was a gleam in Hook’s eye that made Smee uneasy. He had seen this look before—the look Hook got when he was on the verge of something grand... or disastrous.

“Cap’n,” Smee said carefully, stepping closer, “if I may... what’s the plan?”

Hook’s eyes flicked up to meet Smee’s, and for the first time in days, there was a smile on his lips—a smile that made the hair on the back of Smee’s neck stand up.

“We’ve been chasing Peter Pan for too long,” Hook began, his voice low and dangerous. “He knows Neverland too well, plays his little games too well. But I’ve discovered something he can’t resist.”

Smee’s brow furrowed. “And what might that be, sir?”

Hook stood up, his mechanical arm whirring softly as he adjusted the cuff of his coat. He moved to the window, staring out at the distant horizon. “The Darlings, Smee. Those children he brought from the outside world.”

Smee blinked, caught off guard. “The Darlings, cap’n? What about ‘em?”

Hook turned back to face him, the gleam in his eyes sharper now. “They are Peter’s weakness. He may play at being the fearless leader of the Lost Boys, but those children... they remind him of something he can’t have.”

Smee frowned, trying to keep up. “Something he can’t have?”

Hook’s smile widened. “A family, Smee. A mother. He can never grow up, but the Darlings remind him of the world he left behind. Of what he’ll never be a part of. And that is something I can use against him.”

Smee’s stomach twisted as he realized where this was going. “You’re gonna use the Darlings as bait.”

“Exactly,” Hook said, his voice dripping with satisfaction. “We’ll capture the Darlings, hold them on the Jolly Roger, and wait for Peter to come running to rescue them. He won’t be able to resist. And when he does...” Hook’s mechanical hand clenched into a fist, the metal gears grinding together. “...we’ll finally finish this.”

Smee shifted on his feet, unsure of how to respond. The plan was bold—certainly bold enough to get the crew excited—but it was dangerous. Peter Pan was clever, unpredictable, and he had evaded Hook’s traps before. Using the Darlings as bait might draw Peter out, but it also risked angering the Lost Boys, the Kamaʻāina, and even the unpredictable forces of Neverland itself.

“And what about the crew, sir?” Smee asked, his voice quieter. “They’re on edge. They want plunder, treasure. They’re not gonna be happy waitin’ around for Pan.”

Hook waved a hand dismissively. “The crew will do as they’re told. They always do. Once we’ve dealt with Peter Pan, there will be plenty of treasure to go around. Neverland will be ours for the taking.”

Smee nodded, though a part of him still felt uneasy. He knew Hook’s obsession ran deep, but he also knew how dangerous Peter Pan could be. This plan could bring them victory, or it could tear them apart. Still, it wasn’t his place to question Hook. He had followed the captain through worse, and he would follow him through this.

“Understood, cap’n,” Smee said quietly. “I’ll prepare the men.”

Hook’s smile lingered as he turned back to the window, his eyes fixed on the horizon. “Good. We set sail at dawn.”

Smee turned to leave, but before he reached the door, Hook spoke again, his voice softer now, almost thoughtful. “Smee, do you ever wonder what it would be like... to win?”

Smee paused, his hand on the door handle. “To win, cap’n?”

Hook didn’t turn around. “To finally rid ourselves of Peter Pan. To have Neverland... without him.”

Smee swallowed, unsure of how to answer. He had followed Hook for years, watched him plot and scheme, but he had never seen Hook without the shadow of Peter Pan hanging over him. What would victory even look like? Would Hook finally find peace? Or would he simply find another obsession?

“I reckon it’d be... quiet, sir,” Smee said at last, his voice soft.

Hook chuckled, though there was no warmth in the sound. “Yes... quiet. Perhaps too quiet.”

Smee said nothing more as he left the cabin, closing the door behind him. As he walked back across the deck, the thrum of the steam engines beneath his feet felt heavier than ever. The Jolly Roger was preparing for war, and Smee could only hope that when the time came, they would be ready.